Sermon 33: 1 Samuel 10:5-7

5. After this you will come to the hill of God, where there is a garrison of the Philistines; and when you have entered the city there, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, and before them a psaltery, and a drum, and a flute, and a harp, and they will be prophesying. 6. And the Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into another man. 7. When therefore all these signs have come to you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for the Lord is with you.

We have seen the two earlier signs by which Samuel assured Saul that he would be elevated as king over the Israelites by divine promise and command. The third remains to be examined, most fitting for the royal dignity. For it is not about messengers sent by his father to announce that the donkeys have been found, or men going up to sacrifice who would share some bread with him for eating on the journey so that he might return safely to his father's house. Rather, he is said to be about to be changed into another man, and the Spirit of God is to come upon him, by whom he would be equipped with the gifts necessary for carrying out the office to which he was called. Here then we see that this sign is the chief one, and most suited to the promise made to Saul.

Furthermore, when a crowd of prophets is said to be about to meet him, we gather from this — as is also evident from many other passages of Scripture — that schools had been established at that time in which the youth were instructed in sound doctrine. And this becomes even more conspicuous in the times of Elijah and Elisha. Nevertheless, it is sufficiently clear from this passage that there were then not a few who devoted themselves to the understanding of the law, lest the doctrine of salvation and true religion should slip away or be corrupted, but that the worship of God might retain its purity and integrity. And this is worthy of special observation. For what, I ask, has long since brought such corruption of doctrine into the world? What has adulterated the law of God and turned it into a lie, if not the negligence of individuals, who did not deign to have men specifically devoted to the study of divine truth, to whose faithful care the knowledge of divine truth might be entrusted? And indeed the source of all the corruptions that prevail in the papacy is none other than this very sloth: when the ignorant common people and the rest, whom they call laity, would plead that they were neither priests nor monks, and therefore the reading of the Gospel was none of their concern, which they would leave to their teachers to deal with. But what in the meantime did those good teachers and protectors and pillars of the catholic faith do other than devote themselves entirely to vain and profane speculations, while God's word lay buried? Hence the corruption of doctrine; hence that blemish brought into the church, which has driven its roots so deep that no force seems sufficient to uproot it. Therefore we must hold that the church can be preserved in its proper state, and the piety of religion and divine worship retained, by this one means alone: if schools are established in which the seeds of the divine word are prepared, and those who will be entrusted with the duty of teaching may serve the church. For this reason Paul commands

Timothy to guard the excellent deposit of Christian doctrine, and to take care that it be entrusted to faithful men who will faithfully preserve it, lest it fall into oblivion, but rather that it may be received and held in honor, so that it does not perish among men. Therefore this passage admonishes and exhorts us to take every effort, care, and solicitude to ensure that schools be established in which those who will one day serve the church may be trained and faithfully instructed in the knowledge of God's word, so that they are not novices when they must give an account of their office, but, formed by long practice, may have the sacred Scripture as most familiar to them. And let this suffice for what has been said about the crowd of prophets.

Here, however, let us also observe that the people did not therefore withdraw from superstition and a dissolute life, as we have seen above and shall see below at greater length — that everything was full of various superstitions from which they had not yet been cleansed, and that the commandments of the divine law were not observed. From this we must exercise greater caution, so that we may be more diligent in doing our duty and in preserving the purity of religion, lest the devil obscure the doctrine of salvation. For if, as we see, those who followed the right norm of preserving divine truth nevertheless did not reach the goal itself, what do we think will happen to those who fight against it daily? Therefore, the more zealously we see the devil devising schemes and fabricating machines by which, if he could, he would utterly destroy all worship of God and sincere doctrine, the more ardent and vigilant we must be in seeking suitable remedies, so that the word of God may remain safe and sound and flourish.

What is said next about drums, flutes, and harps and other such musical instruments, which those prophets used, pertains to the legal ceremonies that were in use at that time. Therefore those ancient times under the law and ceremonies must be carefully and accurately distinguished from those that followed Christ, in which God established a different manner of worship. For the substance of the things hoped for and of divine worship and faith is indeed the same for us as it was for the Jews. But the manner of rites and ceremonies is different, by which the Lord saw fit to exercise those ancients until the fuller and more open manifestation of the Gospel; and which today would be more of a hindrance than a help for seeing that image of God with face uncovered, which has appeared in these last times. For if all the shadows of the law were revived for use today, they would be a veil upon the hearts of men and like barriers by which we would be prevented from familiar access to our Lord Jesus Christ, who now addresses us as friends, not as servants, just as the Lord himself addresses his disciples, calling them his friends, to whom he had made known all that he had heard from the Father, and had revealed himself to them intimately through the preaching of the word.

Therefore we must know that the use of such musical instruments, which the prophets of old employed, is to be entirely abolished, because God has now revealed himself to us in a different way, far more illustrious and perfect than to those ancients who lived in the times of the prophets. Those rites were like a kind of rudimentary discipline by which God exercised those ancients as children in a school of instruction. Therefore the prophets had to rouse that people with certain external rites and make them attentive, rites that suited their rudeness and weakness. For so great was the dullness of that people that unless the prophets, in addition to the word, also employed other rites to stir them up, they would have perceived little or nothing about divine matters. But it was not simply the crude and weak character of that people that gave occasion for these rites; rather, there was also divine institution, by which God saw fit to govern his church with this form of polity. We, therefore, although more dull than the Jews themselves, nevertheless do not need such aids, because the manner of ecclesiastical governance established by God is different from what it was formerly, since in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ everything that was figured by those legal shadows is openly visible.

It would be foreign to our purpose to debate about the whole rationale of that music as philosophers are accustomed to do, and such a discussion would be entirely useless and fruitless. This one reason should suffice: that God at that time wished praises to be sung to him in his church with musical instruments, so that the weakness of the people might be accommodated, and they might be aroused by such rites to the honor of God. Certainly the usefulness of musical instruments resounding in the church was nothing unless the human voice was added to them, as we also see was customary from the admonitions and established order of the prophets. That harmonious arrangement of sounds was therefore very effective in inciting and moving the people to hear prayers with the utmost attention and to receive them. And so the purpose of the prophets playing musical instruments was the same as that of kings or princes today, whose subjects are first summoned by the sound of a trumpet before their edicts are proclaimed by the voice of a herald: so that these instruments served in place of trumpets by which the people would be prepared for attention, lest they receive God's word sluggishly, but prick up their ears to receive the Lord's commands. But those ceremonies flourished in those times that God had prescribed. Now, however, we have come to those times in which the distinction made by God himself between us and the ancient people must be observed, and we must not inquire further; but this rationale should satisfy us: that because God through the preaching of the Gospel has revealed his munificence toward us and his excellent will in Christ, which Christ the Lord himself revealed to us, we ought to be so satisfied that the old things let us dismiss those things. For, as I said before, even if such ceremonies were in use today, and though entirely useless, yet holy and religious, they would be nothing but hindrances by which we are rather kept from the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ than helped.

So let this much be said about those musical instruments which the prophets used to lend authority to the word of God and to rouse their hearers to attentiveness. As for the word 'prophet' used in this passage, most understand it of those who sing God's praises; but that interpretation is forced. For since they are called prophets, and the office of prophets is attributed to them, it can easily be judged that they not only sang God's praises, but also proclaimed the power of God and the miracles which God had formerly done and was doing daily to protect his people, and at the same time expounded the sum and substance of the law given by divine authority, and thus instructed the people in the way of salvation. Therefore the office of the prophets was to teach the people the rule and norm of piety, and to keep them in obedience to God, and to set forth his promises so that they might place all their trust in God and await the promised salvation through the one Redeemer. Indeed it was also their office to stir up the people to the invocation of the divine name and to thanksgiving for all benefits received from him. And all these things are contained under the name of prophecy, namely, in sum, the praises of God and thanksgivings. But when Paul mentions prophecy, he includes under this word teaching and instruction. For since the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, those prophecies and revelations, that is, predictions about future things, have ceased. Yet I acknowledge that many among the faithful have foretold future events, and I admit that the daughters of Philip were prophetesses, and many others in those early times, as is true from the Acts of the Apostles; but in turn I say that this was quite rare. And indeed today we have no need of that gift of prophecy, since, as Paul himself says, we have come to the fullness of times. It was necessary for that ancient people to be sustained by such testimonies so that it might be made more certain of God's will; but since in the gospel we have clearly and openly everything that is required for salvation, let us be content with it, and let us not curiously seek anything more than is permitted by his will. Therefore it would be a harmful curiosity if we were to seek new revelations daily, since God himself has revealed to us what he knew to be good and useful for our salvation. Let us therefore hold that the gift of prophecy is nothing other than this: that those who are called to that office should be interpreters of the divine will, and should expound the sacred scriptures purely and sincerely, and apply them to their legitimate use, and teach that the ancient scriptures also pertain to us. For in the writings of the prophets one may, as in a mirror, behold the state and condition of today's church. Therefore the gift of prophecy is the application of the whole prophetic doctrine, so that we may have an easy and ready understanding of it; and lest we think those writings were only for one time, as if today they were superfluous and useless, but rather that they were written for us and dictated by God himself for our use, just as Peter himself admonishes us when he says: 'It was revealed to the ancients that they were administering not for themselves but for us those things which have now been announced to us by those who preached the gospel, through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.' Therefore we must hold that the gift of prophecy is perpetual and will endure to the end of the age — not indeed that we may receive revelation of future things, or of those things which God has willed to be unknown and hidden from us, but that we may recognize that God spoke through the prophets of old for our instruction, and that accordingly the use of prophetic doctrine will be perpetual, so that from them we may draw our instruction. This, then, is the sum of this passage: that we may know that the prophets who came to meet Saul with their procession and display of musical instruments did not have those things as their chief purpose and aim, but only as certain means by which they stirred up the people to receive doctrine with attentiveness and reverence. In short, the word of God must always hold first place, and all other things — namely those which the Spirit of God did not dictate — must be regarded as accessories and referred back to that supreme end. with harps, flutes, and other such musical instruments did not have those things as their chief end and aim, but only as certain means by which they stirred up the people to receive doctrine with attentiveness and reverence. In short, let this be established: the word of God must always hold first place, and all other things — namely those which the Spirit of God did not dictate — must be regarded as accessories and referred back to that supreme end.

Next follows that when these prophets met Saul, the Spirit of God would rush upon him, and he would prophesy and be changed into a new man. From these words what we taught in yesterday's sermon becomes evident, namely that God bestows gifts necessary for those who are called to some difficult and arduous function and office. For example, if he calls pastors to be set over the church, they must be furnished and equipped with gifts necessary for that office — otherwise they would be mere dumb idols. But it is not enough to attain those splendid titles of pastors and teachers; rather, the necessary gifts from the Lord must also be added, by which they can sustain those offices and dignities whose names they bear. For this reason Paul joins both together in the twelfth chapter to the Romans and in 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, and wherever he deals with the order of the church and its governance, he says that God distributes the gifts of his Spirit according to the measure of each one, as he knows to be expedient for his glory and our salvation. From this, then, we are taught that God not only commanded men to be called who would have the care of teaching the people, but also that they are so formed by his Spirit as to be made fit and suitable for serving the church. For, as the Apostle says elsewhere, 'we are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God.' Furthermore, we could not even move our tongue without the grace of him who received all fullness of graces, so that we may know that our Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, to whom we owe all glory and honor. For we cannot say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. And what has been said about prophets and the gift of prophecy also applies to kings and other magistrates. Moreover, I confess that these things are not always plainly visible, since often the Lord strips them of the gifts they received from his Spirit — which will become evident in Saul himself hereafter, who was rejected by the Lord and from a prophet became a slave of the devil, so that consulting a sorceress and seeking counsel from her, he cast away the knowledge of God which he had previously had, and delivered himself into the devil's power, and was finally wretched and desperate, to the point that out of desperation he brought death upon himself. Therefore, as I said before, God strips princes and kings of the prudence and judgment he had previously given, and as the prophet says, he gleans the spirit of kings — that is, he strips them of all the gifts he had previously distributed, in order to punish the world for its ingratitude. On the other hand, if he himself wills to govern us and to make manifest his care and special providence over us, by which he has received us as his own people, he will not only give us princes by whom we may be governed, but will also bestow upon them gifts for the execution of their office, and will so fill them with his Spirit that they appear as new creatures — who otherwise would be unequal to bearing the duties to which they are called. Therefore, when pastors are chosen in any church who are to be, as it were, God's messengers to explain his will to us, God must be implored with all the more fervent prayers to make it manifest in fact that they have been elected and called by him to this dignity, and that he may govern both their spirit and their tongue by his Spirit, so that they may faithfully devote their service to the instruction of the church. The same is to be said of kings, princes, and other magistrates and administrators of justice: that whether they have been elected or are to be elected, we must know that God is to be sincerely invoked, that he may govern them by his Spirit and supply them with the gifts he knows to be necessary for faithfully executing the office to which they have been called. For without that special grace of God it is certain that they will accomplish nothing rightly, but rather will corrupt everything with injustice and depart far from the duties of their office. Let us therefore hold, in sum, that when God calls us to the function of some office, the gifts necessary for fulfilling it must also be given by him, because by nature we are destitute of all things necessary for such functions — whether you consider his worship or the common welfare — unless he himself equips us with those things which he has ordained for the governance and government of the world. From this we also gather that whatever prudence, intelligence, and talent those called to public offices possess, they have received from the special grace of the Lord. For not all have received graces from God in the same measure: some have a greater measure of the Spirit than others, according as God has seen fit to distribute to each. For some excel in bodily strength, others in strength of mind; some are powerful in riches, others in favor and authority; some are suited for this office, others for another. From this distribution of gifts, so varied, we ought to recognize the far more illustrious grace of God, so that each may confess that he has received immense gifts and benefits from him. Furthermore, not only must such gifts be expected from God's generosity, but the stripping and deprivation of the same must also be feared if we prove ourselves unworthy of them or abuse them — just as, conversely, he promises a greater measure of them to those who use them well. Let Saul be an example: since he was designated by God as king of Israel, he was changed into a new man and adorned with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, so that God might show him to be unequal by himself to bearing so great a burden. that he would be unequal to so great a burden by himself, God showed. From this a general doctrine must be drawn, namely: that no one among mortals can be found fit for the government of any people unless he is guided by the divine hand and receives from it the necessary gifts for so great an office. It should be observed, moreover, that these things happened to Saul at the very moment when God willed to exalt him and place him on the royal throne. From which we gather that God distributes his gifts to men when the situation or time demands it. Hence it happens that very often in the most dire circumstances he supplies counsel and prudence, even to those who were ignorant of affairs or dull. Therefore it becomes even more evident to us from this that these things must be attributed to the Holy Spirit of God, not to our nature or the powers of our intellect. For the fact that we were created and formed by God, and that we live in the world — whatever gifts we have — it is not enough to encompass them under the name of nature and call them natural gifts, unless we also acknowledge each one as received from him, and not only recognize that we are daily increased by his benefits, but also confess ourselves personally indebted to him. For this reason it is specifically said here that the Spirit of God would come upon Saul. Moreover, if for civil and political administration it is necessary that those who are raised to those ranks of dignity be endowed with a special grace of God — indeed, if it is necessary even for the governance of a family — what, I ask, shall we think about the heavenly kingdom, and about that dignity by which we are raised to be children of God? Truly, we then have need of a great transformation. For if God were to leave us as he found us, it is certain that nothing would be found in us that does not make us unworthy of God's grace and the promised salvation, but rather deserves his wrath and rejection. And for this reason Paul says that 'whoever wishes to be counted in Christ must be a new creature.' This phrase 'new creature' he takes as referring to a far more excellent gift than that which we said was conferred on Saul. For since he was receiving an earthly and perishable kingdom, the gifts also were temporary and perishable. Therefore Paul is not content with the gifts of tongues, or of miracles, or of healing — which he says are small things if we wish to be members of Christ — and accordingly he seeks our total transformation, namely that we be regenerated by the Holy Spirit of God, so that, made a new creature, we may be subject to him and composed to his will and obedience. This doctrine, then, must necessarily be drawn from this passage: that as far as this perishable and transitory life is concerned, we should know that we cannot move even a finger unless God brings it about. Then, if some are raised to higher ranks of dignity, they must receive the Spirit of God in the measure by which they may be equal to fulfilling their office. But above all, when we are called to participation in the heavenly kingdom itself, it is most required that he pour out upon us the gifts of his Holy Spirit, by which we may be transformed into a new creature, all our depraved affections and desires being abolished, so that renouncing our senses and carnal reason, and placed, as it were, outside this world, we may be more and more strengthened in obedience to him, and nothing in us may resist his will, but we may be conformed to his righteousness — which cannot happen by our own nature and effort, but proceeds from the grace of God alone, doing its work in us by a certain secret and wonderful power.

Then follow these words of Samuel: 'And when it shall be, when these signs have come to you, do what your hand finds to do, for God himself will be with you.' By these words he rouses, sharpens, and encourages Saul, urging him to think nothing difficult, nothing arduous, since he has God as his leader and author. Now it was dangerous to seize the royal dignity, and many things especially could have deterred Saul from undertaking it: that he was a rustic, that he had watched over his father's flocks — things alien to royal power. With these thoughts and others of the kind, it would not have been surprising if Saul had not only been frightened away from this office but had lost heart and been utterly horror-struck at such a message, unless he were plainly reckless. Samuel therefore rouses the man and sharpens him, warning him not to look at himself or at the dignity and excellence of the office, for which he would be unequal, but to lean upon God as its author, and to expect help and aid from him, and relying on him to bravely overcome every temptation and to undertake the matter with a resolute spirit — yet under divine auspices, undertaking nothing rashly, but wholly composed to divine obedience. This is the meaning of Samuel's words, which contain a most useful and excellent doctrine. For first we learn from them on what true courage and greatness of spirit ought to rest, namely on God alone, standing on our side. So Samuel says, addressing Saul: 'God himself will be with you; do what your hand finds to do.' So throughout sacred Scripture is full of such statements: 'The Lord will defend my cause, I will fear nothing. I will not be afraid of myriads of people conspiring against me, as long as the Lord is my protector. In the midst of death I will walk.' And the Apostle says: 'If God is for us, who is against us?' Our courage, therefore, consists in this one thing: that we be firmly persuaded that God's help will never fail us. But this persuasion is not within our own power. For if men promise themselves God's help without God's word, that persuasion will be vain and that hope empty, and it will vanish into smoke. Therefore it is necessary that God's promise be added, by which, so to speak, God binds himself to us in faith and promises help, which he will bring us when circumstances require. For where there is such a certain promise of his help, we must be persuaded that it will be present to us at the opportune time, and that our confidence will never be vain, as Scripture often testifies. But when God promises his help and bids us trust his word, we must not rashly undertake whatever we please from our own judgment, as if we were going to cross the very air or the sea; rather, the boundaries set by him must be carefully observed, lest we depart from his commandments by even a nail's breadth, and all difficulties must be overcome and all impediments by which we would be prevented from easy access to him, recognizing that it is in his power to give us victory over all things that are contrary to our salvation. Therefore these two things, which are most closely joined, must not be torn apart from each other: God's promise, making us certain that his present help will be at hand, and the commandment to walk peacefully within the prescribed limits and the vocation to which we have been called, and to obey him with all humility, and to undertake nothing rashly from our own judgment, but to acquiesce in all things that he wills and judges to be good, and to do our due duty. If we learn to join these two things, it is certain that God's help will never fail us. Therefore, when Samuel commands Saul to do what his hand finds to do, he did not give him permission to undertake anything rashly, but it is the same as if he had commanded him to do whatever the duty of his office required and what God would reveal to be pleasing to him. Things are said to be 'in our hand' and to 'come to hand' not those which are rashly and inconsiderately undertaken, but those which God himself sets before us, to which we should apply all our effort. And these things will be more easily understood by these comparisons: for example, if I were to try to touch with my hand the things that are above my head and surpass the clouds; if I were to be carried above the clouds themselves; if, in short, I were to undertake something beyond my strength — would I not pay the deserved penalty for such folly and recklessness? If I tried to swim across a river without a boat, and threw myself headlong into the water, would I not immediately be overwhelmed by the waters? And rightly so, because I would be undertaking that beyond my strength. Therefore it must be carefully observed that things are said to be in our hands, and that what comes to our hands happens, which God himself sets before us and which is part of our duty, and does not exceed the powers and abilities given to us. It is therefore clear what benefit we ought to derive from a sound interpretation of this passage, and it must be carefully observed by us, especially since we are generally far too bold in undertaking things and allow ourselves more than is permitted — while on the other hand we are sluggish and lazy in obeying when God calls. For we continually seek new excuses for flight and offer many pretexts for our slowness. But let us learn from this to be of strong heart, relying on God's promises, expecting from his most mighty and invincible hand timely help that will never fail. And meanwhile let us nevertheless keep ourselves in humility and modesty, attending to what the Lord himself will set before our hand, but undertaking nothing rashly.

Moreover, let us know that we will not put this doctrine into practice without overcoming many difficulties, which the devil himself will throw in our way to deter us from our duty, and from which no one should promise himself immunity, since the devil is accustomed to terrify those called to any office in various ways. For example, he will stir up many troubles on every side against one who is about to preach the word of God, either to deter him from undertaking this burden, or if he has undertaken it, to drive him to cast it off or to flee backward, unless, relying on God's promise — namely that he himself will be present with the power of his Spirit — he fearlessly resists these temptations. The same is to be said of kings, princes, and magistrates. For the wicked indeed, who have no care for divine worship or for their peoples, will boldly undertake whatever their lust dictates: they will plunder, they will pillage, they will indulge in rapine without fear. While on the contrary, good magistrates exercise justice with trepidation, relying on nothing but God's promises. For if they are prepared to punish the wicked, you will immediately see many obstructing them, or accusing them of excessive severity, or even murmuring and forming new plots against them, so as to deter them from doing their duty by fear. Hence it happens that those entrusted with the care of justice lose heart and shrink back from their duty, unless they rely on this promise of God: that God himself is with them and aids them with his power. And let these things be said about those who sit at the helm of government. But let us also add something more. How many obstacles, I ask, present themselves even to a private person entrusted with the care of a single and indeed small family? For even a single person will struggle with self-doubt, unless he is firmly persuaded that God is with him, and consequently has nothing to fear, but should perform with excellent spirit what his calling requires. From this we will have proof of our faith, and we will judge what pertains to God's glory, if with a brave and resolute spirit we undertake the things that are part of our duty. But whoever are high-minded and puff themselves up, and show unjust favoritism to this or that person, convicted of ingratitude, will at last also pay the penalty when their baseness is exposed. But those who, deterred by a certain fear, are too sluggish in their work will also be publicly displayed by God as a spectacle, to pay the penalty for their vanity and ambition. On the contrary, those who, called to public duties, do their office and fearlessly and, as it were, with closed eyes, without partiality exercise justice and yield nothing of what is right, approve their faith and testify that they truly rely on God's promises and are governed by his Spirit — and that, leaning on God's promises, they render due honor to them so as to bear themselves bravely and fearlessly against whatever obstacles and never turn aside from the right path.

Now then, brethren, let us proceed, etc.

5. 'After this you will come to the hill of God, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. When you enter the city, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place, with a lute, a tambourine, a flute, and a harp before them, and they will be prophesying.' 6. 'The Spirit of the Lord will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them, and you will be changed into a different man.' 7. 'When all these signs have come upon you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for the Lord is with you.'

We have examined the two earlier signs by which Samuel assured Saul that he would be raised as king over the Israelites by God's promise and command. The third sign remains — and it is the most fitting of all for the royal dignity. This sign is not about messengers from his father bringing news about the donkeys, or men going up to sacrifice who would share some bread for the journey home. This sign declares that Saul himself would be changed into a different man — that the Spirit of God would come upon him and equip him with the gifts necessary for carrying out the office to which he was called. This, then, is clearly the most important sign, and the one most suited to the promise God made to Saul.

When a band of prophets is said to be coming to meet Saul, we can conclude from this — as is also evident from many other passages of Scripture — that schools had been established at that time in which young men were trained in sound doctrine. This becomes even clearer in the time of Elijah and Elisha. This passage alone makes sufficiently plain that there were at that time a considerable number of men who devoted themselves to the study of the law — so that the teaching of salvation and true religion would not slip away or become corrupted, and the worship of God would retain its purity. This is especially worth noting. What has brought such corruption of doctrine into the world over the centuries? What has perverted God's law and turned it into falsehood? Nothing other than the negligence of individuals — people who saw no need for men specifically devoted to the study of divine truth, to whose faithful care that truth could be entrusted. The root cause of all the corruptions that prevail in the papacy is exactly this laziness. The uneducated common people — those called the laity — would plead that they were neither priests nor monks, and therefore that reading the Gospel was not their concern; they would leave all that to their teachers. But what did those good teachers — those supposed guardians and pillars of the catholic faith — actually do? They devoted themselves entirely to empty and worldly speculations while God's Word lay buried. From this came the corruption of doctrine. From this came the blemish introduced into the church — a blemish that has put down such deep roots that no force seems sufficient to tear it out. We must therefore hold to this as essential: the church can be maintained in its proper condition, and the piety of true religion preserved, by one means above all — the establishment of schools where the seeds of God's Word are cultivated and where those who will be entrusted with the work of teaching are trained for the church's service. For this reason Paul commands —

— Timothy to guard the excellent deposit of Christian doctrine, and to see that it is entrusted to faithful men who will keep it faithfully — so that it does not fall into neglect but is received, honored, and preserved among the people. This passage therefore urges us to take every effort, care, and concern to ensure that schools are established where those who will one day serve the church are trained and faithfully grounded in the knowledge of God's Word — so that when the time comes for them to give an account of their office, they are not novices, but have been shaped by long experience and have Scripture as their closest companion. That is enough about the band of prophets.

We should also observe here that the people had not, on account of these schools, broken free from superstition and moral disorder — as we have already seen above and will see at greater length below. Everything was filled with various superstitions from which the people had not yet been cleansed, and the commandments of God's law were not being kept. This should make us more vigilant in doing our duty and preserving the purity of religion, so that the devil does not corrupt the teaching of salvation. If even those who followed the right standard for preserving divine truth still fell short of the goal, what do we think will happen to those who fight against it daily? The more zealously the devil devises his schemes and builds his weapons to utterly destroy all worship of God and sincere doctrine — if he could — the more ardent and watchful we must be in seeking fitting remedies, so that God's Word remains sound and flourishes.

The mention of drums, flutes, harps, and other musical instruments that those prophets used belongs to the ceremonial practices that were in use at that time under the law. Therefore the era of the old law and ceremonies must be carefully distinguished from the era that followed Christ — in which God established a different manner of worship. The substance of what was hoped for, of divine worship, and of faith is indeed the same for us as it was for the Jews. But the manner of rites and ceremonies is different — the Lord saw fit to use those ceremonies to exercise His people until the fuller and more open arrival of the Gospel. Today, those same ceremonies would hinder rather than help us in beholding the image of God with an unveiled face, which has been revealed in these last times. If all the shadows of the law were revived for use today, they would be a veil over our hearts — barriers preventing us from free and direct access to our Lord Jesus Christ, who now addresses us as friends, not as servants. The Lord Himself made this clear when He called His disciples His friends, to whom He had disclosed all that He had heard from the Father, and to whom He had revealed Himself personally through the preaching of the Word.

We must understand that the use of such musical instruments as the ancient prophets employed is to be set aside entirely — because God has now revealed Himself to us in a way far more illustrious and perfect than to those who lived in the times of the prophets. Those rites were like a basic curriculum by which God trained His people as children in a school of instruction. The prophets therefore had to stir that people up through certain outward ceremonies suited to their spiritual immaturity and weakness. The dullness of that people was so great that unless the prophets accompanied the Word with these additional rites, they would have grasped little or nothing of divine truth. Yet it was not merely the crude and weak character of that people that gave rise to these rites — there was also a divine ordinance behind them, by which God chose to govern His church in that particular way. We, though no less dull than the Jews, do not need such helps today — because the manner of church governance God has established is different from what it once was. In the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, everything that was foreshadowed by those legal ceremonies is now openly visible.

It would be beside the point to enter into a full philosophical debate about the rationale of that ancient music — such a discussion would be entirely useless. One reason is sufficient: God at that time wished His praises to be sung in the church with musical instruments, so that the weakness of the people might be accommodated and they might be stirred by such means to honor God. Of course, the value of musical instruments resounding in the church was nothing without the human voice added to them — as we also see from the established practice of the prophets. That harmonious arrangement of sounds was effective in moving the people to listen to prayers with great attention and to receive them properly. The purpose of those prophets playing instruments was similar to the function of trumpets used today before a herald proclaims a royal edict — the trumpet summons the people to attention. In the same way, those instruments served to prepare the people to receive God's Word alertly rather than sluggishly. But those ceremonies belonged to the era God had specifically prescribed them for. We have now come to a different era — one in which the distinction God Himself established between us and the ancient people must be respected. We need not probe further; this reason should satisfy us: because through the preaching of the Gospel God has revealed His generosity toward us and His excellent will in Christ — which Christ the Lord Himself disclosed to us — we ought to be fully satisfied with that, and let the old things pass. For, as I said before, even if such ceremonies were in use today — even if they were considered holy and religious — they would be nothing but obstacles preventing us from knowing our Lord Jesus Christ rather than helping us toward it.

That is enough about the musical instruments the prophets used to lend authority to the Word of God and to arouse their hearers to attentiveness. As for the word 'prophet' used in this passage: most interpreters take it to mean simply those who sang God's praises, but that reading is forced. Since they are explicitly called prophets and the office of a prophet is attributed to them, we can rightly conclude that they did more than sing praises. They also proclaimed the power of God and the miracles He had done and was doing daily to protect His people, and at the same time set forth the substance of the law given by divine authority, thus instructing the people in the way of salvation. The office of the prophets was to teach the people the rule of godliness, to hold them in obedience to God, to declare His promises so that the people would place all their trust in God and await the promised salvation through the one Redeemer. It was also their office to stir the people up to call on God's name and to give thanks for all the benefits received from Him. All of these things are contained under the name of prophecy — the praise of God, thanksgiving, and instruction together. When Paul mentions prophecy, he includes under that word teaching and instruction. Since the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, the specific gift of foretelling future events has ceased. I do acknowledge that many among the faithful did foretell future events in the early days — Philip's daughters were prophetesses, and others as well, as is clear from the Acts of the Apostles — but I note that this was quite rare. Today we have no need of that gift of prophecy, since, as Paul himself says, we have come to the fullness of times. The ancient people needed those testimonies to be made more certain of God's will. But since in the Gospel we have everything needed for salvation clearly and openly set forth, let us be content with it and not curiously search for anything beyond what He has revealed. It would be a harmful curiosity to seek new revelations daily, since God Himself has already disclosed all that He knew to be good and necessary for our salvation. Let us therefore understand the gift of prophecy in this way: those called to that office are interpreters of God's will — they expound the Scriptures purely and sincerely, apply them to their proper purpose, and show that the ancient writings still speak to us. In the writings of the prophets one can see, as in a mirror, the state and condition of the church today. The gift of prophecy is therefore the ability to apply the whole body of prophetic teaching so that we understand it readily. It means recognizing that those writings were not meant for only one era — as if they were now superfluous and irrelevant — but were written for us and dictated by God for our benefit. Peter himself says as much: 'It was revealed to the ancients that they were serving not themselves but us in the things that have now been announced to us by those who preached the gospel through the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.' We must therefore hold that the gift of prophecy is permanent and will endure to the end of the age — not in the sense of receiving new revelations about things God has chosen to keep hidden, but in the sense of recognizing that God spoke through the ancient prophets for our instruction, and that the use of prophetic teaching will therefore be perpetual, providing us with ongoing guidance. This is the sum of the passage: the prophets who came to meet Saul with their procession and musical instruments were not making music their chief end. Those instruments were merely a means by which they aroused the people to receive doctrine with attentiveness and reverence. In short, let this be firmly established: the Word of God must always hold first place, and everything else — whatever the Spirit of God did not dictate — must be treated as secondary and referred back to that supreme end.

Next comes the declaration that when the prophets met Saul, the Spirit of God would rush upon him and he would prophesy and be changed into a new man. These words confirm what we taught in yesterday's sermon: that God equips those He calls to difficult and demanding offices with the gifts necessary for those offices. For example, when He calls pastors to lead the church, they must be furnished and equipped with the gifts required for that work — otherwise they would be nothing but dumb idols. It is not enough to carry the impressive title of pastor or teacher; the gifts from the Lord must also accompany the title, enabling them to actually carry out the office whose name they bear. Paul makes both elements inseparable — in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and wherever he deals with the order and governance of the church. He says that God distributes the gifts of His Spirit to each person according to the measure He knows best serves His glory and our salvation. We are therefore taught that God not only commands men to be appointed to the care of teaching the people, but also that He shapes them by His Spirit to be fit and capable for serving the church. As the apostle says elsewhere, 'We are not sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God.' We could not even move our tongue without the grace of the one who received all fullness of grace — so that we may know that our Lord Jesus Christ was sent by the Father, to whom all glory and honor belong. We cannot even say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit. And what applies to prophets and the gift of prophecy also applies to kings and other governing authorities. I must also acknowledge that these gifts are not always visibly present in those who hold office — for the Lord often strips them of the gifts He had given through His Spirit. This will become plain in Saul himself: he was rejected by the Lord and, from being a prophet, became enslaved to the devil. He consulted a sorceress, abandoned the knowledge of God he had previously possessed, delivered himself into the devil's power, and finally came to such wretchedness and desperation that he took his own life. As I said before, God strips princes and kings of the wisdom and judgment He had previously given them — as the prophet says, He 'gleans the spirit of kings' — removing all the gifts He had distributed, to punish the world for its ingratitude. On the other hand, when God wills to govern us and to make visible His special care over us — having received us as His own people — He will not only give us rulers to govern us, but will also bestow on them the gifts needed for their office, filling them so fully with His Spirit that they appear as new creatures. Without this, they would be utterly unequal to the duties placed upon them. Therefore, when pastors are chosen in any church — men who are to be, as it were, God's messengers explaining His will to us — we must pray with even greater earnestness that God would make clear in reality that they were elected and called by Him, and that He would govern both their spirit and their tongue by His Spirit, so that they may faithfully devote themselves to teaching the church. The same applies to kings, princes, and other magistrates: whether they have already been elected or are about to be, we must sincerely call on God to govern them by His Spirit and supply them with the gifts He knows to be necessary for faithfully executing the office to which they have been called. Without that special grace of God, it is certain they will accomplish nothing rightly, but will corrupt everything with injustice and stray far from the duties of their office. Let us therefore hold, in sum, that when God calls us to any office or function, He must also provide the gifts necessary for fulfilling it — because by our own nature we are lacking in everything required for such work, whether in the service of God or in the public welfare, unless He Himself equips us with what He has ordained for the governance of the world. From this we also gather that whatever wisdom, intelligence, and ability those in public office possess, they have received it from the Lord's special grace. Not everyone has received the same measure of grace from God: some have a greater measure of the Spirit than others, as God has seen fit to distribute to each. Some excel in physical strength, others in strength of mind; some are powerful in wealth, others in influence and authority; some are suited for one kind of work, others for another. From this diverse distribution of gifts we should recognize God's grace all the more clearly — so that each person acknowledges that he has received immense gifts and benefits from Him. Furthermore, we must not only look to God to supply such gifts, but also fear losing them if we prove ourselves unworthy of them or abuse them — just as, on the other hand, He promises a greater measure to those who use them well. Let Saul be an example. When God designated him as king of Israel, He changed him into a new man and adorned him with the gifts of the Holy Spirit — showing thereby that Saul was by himself unequal to bearing so great a burden. From this a general principle must be drawn: no human being can be found fit for governing any people unless guided by God's hand and supplied by Him with the gifts required for so great an office. It should also be observed that these things happened to Saul at the very moment when God was ready to exalt him and place him on the royal throne. From this we gather that God distributes His gifts to people when the circumstances or the time requires it. Hence it often happens that in the most desperate situations He supplies wisdom and sound judgment even to people who were inexperienced or dull. This makes it all the more evident that these things must be attributed to the Holy Spirit of God, not to our own nature or the powers of our intellect. The fact that we were created and formed by God, that we live in the world, that we have whatever gifts we have — it is not enough to group these under the label of 'nature' and call them natural gifts, unless we also acknowledge each one as received from Him, and not only recognize that He increases them daily through His kindness, but personally confess our complete indebtedness to Him. For this reason it is specifically stated here that the Spirit of God would come upon Saul. Moreover, if civil and political governance requires those raised to positions of authority to be specially endowed by God — indeed, even governing a household requires this — what shall we say about the heavenly kingdom, and about that dignity by which we are raised to be children of God? That requires a far greater transformation. For if God were to leave us as He found us, nothing in us would be found that does not make us utterly unworthy of His grace and the promised salvation — everything would deserve only His wrath and rejection. For this reason Paul says that 'whoever wishes to be counted in Christ must be a new creature.' The phrase 'new creature' refers to a far more excellent transformation than the one conferred on Saul. Saul was receiving an earthly and perishable kingdom, so the gifts he received were likewise temporary and perishable. Paul, however, is not satisfied with the gifts of tongues, miracles, or healing — which he says amount to little if we wish to be members of Christ. He seeks our total transformation: that we be regenerated by God's Holy Spirit, so that, made into a new creature, we may be subject to God and conformed to His will and obedience. This is the doctrine this passage requires us to draw: as far as this perishable and passing life is concerned, we cannot move even a finger without God bringing it about. When some are raised to higher positions, they must receive the Spirit of God in the measure needed to fulfill their office. But above all, when we are called to share in the heavenly kingdom itself, it is most necessary that He pour out on us the gifts of His Holy Spirit — transforming us into a new creature, abolishing all our depraved passions and desires, so that we renounce our own instincts and carnal reasoning, are placed as it were outside this world, and are strengthened more and more in obedience to Him, with nothing in us resisting His will and everything in us conformed to His righteousness. This cannot happen by our own nature and effort — it proceeds from God's grace alone, accomplishing its work in us by a secret and wonderful power.

Samuel's words then follow: 'When these signs have come to you, do whatever your hand finds to do, for God Himself will be with you.' By these words Samuel rouses, sharpens, and encourages Saul — urging him to regard nothing as too difficult or too great a challenge, since he has God Himself as his leader and the source of his authority. Taking hold of royal dignity was a dangerous undertaking, and many things could have deterred Saul: he was a country man who had been watching his father's flocks — a background entirely unlike the world of kings. With such thoughts pressing on him, it would be no surprise if Saul had been not merely hesitant but utterly terrified by such a message — unless he were reckless enough to feel no fear at all. Samuel therefore rouses the man and sharpens his resolve, warning him not to look at himself or at the greatness of the office for which he feels unequal — but to lean on God as the one behind it all, to expect help and strength from Him, and, relying on Him, to courageously overcome every obstacle and undertake the task with a resolute spirit. Yet this must be done under God's direction, with nothing undertaken rashly, but everything submitted to divine obedience. This is the meaning of Samuel's words — and they contain a teaching that is both excellent and supremely useful. First, we learn from them where true courage and greatness of spirit must rest: in God alone, standing on our side. Samuel says to Saul: 'God Himself will be with you; do whatever your hand finds to do.' Scripture is full of such statements: 'The Lord will defend my cause; I will fear nothing. I will not be afraid of thousands of people arrayed against me, as long as the Lord is my protector. Even through the midst of death I will walk.' The apostle says: 'If God is for us, who can be against us?' Our courage therefore rests on one thing alone: the firm persuasion that God's help will never fail us. But this persuasion does not come from within ourselves. If people presume on God's help without grounding it in God's Word, that confidence will be hollow, that hope empty — it will dissolve into smoke. God's promise must be added — by which, so to speak, God binds Himself to us in faithfulness and pledges help that He will bring at the time it is needed. Where there is such a certain promise of His help, we must be persuaded that it will arrive at exactly the right moment, and that our confidence will not be in vain — as Scripture repeatedly testifies. But when God promises His help and calls us to trust His Word, we must not rush off to do whatever we please from our own judgment, as though we could walk on air or water. The boundaries He has set must be carefully respected. We must not depart from His commands by even a nail's width. All difficulties and obstacles that would block our access to Him must be overcome in the recognition that He has the power to give us victory over everything that opposes our salvation. These two things, which are most closely bound together, must not be separated: God's promise, assuring us that His present help will be at hand, and the command to walk peacefully within the appointed limits and the calling to which we have been called — obeying Him in all humility, undertaking nothing rashly from our own judgment, but accepting all that He wills and ordains to be good, and doing our proper duty. If we learn to hold these two things together, God's help will certainly never fail us. Therefore, when Samuel tells Saul to do whatever his hand finds to do, he was not giving him license to rush into anything he liked. The meaning is the same as if he had commanded him to do whatever the duties of his office required, and whatever God would reveal to be pleasing to Him. Things that are said to be 'at hand' and 'within reach' are not things rashly and carelessly seized on our own initiative, but things God Himself places before us and to which we should apply all our effort. This becomes clearer with a few examples. If I were to try to grasp something far above my head and beyond my reach, surpassing the clouds — if I tried to be carried above the clouds — if in short I attempted something entirely beyond my strength, would I not suffer the deserved consequences of such folly and recklessness? If I tried to swim across a river without a boat and threw myself headlong into the water, would I not be immediately overwhelmed? Rightly so, because I would be attempting something beyond my strength. We must therefore understand carefully that what is said to be 'at hand' and 'within reach' refers to things God Himself places before us as part of our proper duty — things that do not exceed the powers and abilities He has given us. It is therefore clear what benefit we should draw from a sound reading of this passage — and we must pay careful attention to it, since we are generally far too bold in taking on things we should not, while on the other hand we are slow and sluggish to obey when God calls. We constantly look for new excuses to avoid our duty and offer endless pretexts for our laziness. Let us instead learn from this to be courageous — leaning on God's promises, expecting from His almighty and invincible hand timely help that will never fail. And let us at the same time keep ourselves in humility and modesty, attending to what the Lord Himself places before us, but rushing into nothing rashly.

Let us also be aware that putting this teaching into practice will mean overcoming many difficulties. The devil himself will throw obstacles in our way to deter us from our duty, and no one should expect to be immune from this — for the devil is accustomed to terrify those called to any office in various ways. For example, when someone is about to preach the Word of God, the devil will stir up troubles from every direction — either to stop him from taking up the burden at all, or, once he has taken it up, to drive him to drop it or to retreat, unless that person steadfastly resists these temptations by leaning on God's promise that He will be present with the power of His Spirit. The same applies to kings, princes, and magistrates. The wicked, who care nothing for divine worship or the welfare of their people, boldly do whatever their impulses dictate — plundering, pillaging, and practicing injustice without fear. But good magistrates exercise justice with a sense of trembling, leaning on nothing but God's promises. When they are ready to punish the wicked, they immediately find many obstructing them — accusing them of excessive harshness, murmuring against them, or forming new schemes to frighten them away from doing their duty. As a result, those entrusted with justice lose heart and shrink back from their duty, unless they lean on this promise: that God Himself is with them and supports them with His power. So much for those who sit at the helm of government. But let us add something further. How many obstacles present themselves even to a private person charged with the care of a single and modest household? Even an ordinary person will wrestle with self-doubt, unless he is firmly persuaded that God is with him — and that therefore he has nothing to fear, but should carry out what his calling requires with an excellent spirit. This is where we prove our faith and show what we count as God's glory — when with a brave and resolute spirit we take up the things that belong to our duty. Those who are arrogant and full of themselves, who show favoritism and deal unjustly, will eventually be exposed in their corruption and pay the penalty. Equally, those who are so deterred by fear that they are sluggish in their work will also be put on display by God, to bear the consequences of their cowardice and self-concern. By contrast, those who are called to public duties, perform their office faithfully, exercise justice without partiality and without flinching, and yield nothing of what is right — these people demonstrate their faith and show that they truly rest on God's promises and are governed by His Spirit. Leaning on those promises, they honor them by conducting themselves with courage and steadiness against every obstacle, never turning aside from the right path.

Now then, brethren, let us proceed, etc.